Apparatus for balloon construction



ApriIZl, 1953 F. J. LA MERE El "AL 2,535,671

I APPARATUS FOR BALLOON CONSTRUCTION ofi inal Filed: April 2, 1948.. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INKENTORS FRA J. LAMERE KER F. JOHNSON y OTTO c. wmzsn ATTORNEY April 21, 1953 Original Filed April 2, 1948 F. J. LAY MERE EI'AL 2,635,671 APPARATUS FOR BALLOON consmucnon 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.'4

INVENTORS FRANK J. LAMERE KERMIT. F. JOHNSON OTTO O. WINZEN April 1953 F. J. LA MERE ET-AL 7 2,635,671

APPARATUS FOR BALLOON CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 2, 194a, s Sheets-Sheet s 59 63 53 64 6 65 66 Q 67 so \\w\\\\\\\\ L 3a 35 "3| as 25 3| 4 52 INVENTORS r9 FRANK a, LAMERE KERMIT F. JOHNSON OTTO c. WINZEN BY L 'MT0MEY I I a Aprll 21, 1953 F. J. LA MERE ET AL ,6

APPARATUS FOR BALLOON CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 2, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.I2

INVENTORS FRANK J. LAMERE KERMIT F. JOHNSON OTTO C. WINZEN I C Murrow/Er Apnl 21, 1953 F. J. L A MERE ETAL 2,635,671

APPARATUS FOR-BALLOON CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 2, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F|G.,t6.

INVENTORS FRANK .J. LAMERE KERMIT F. aormsou OTTO c. WINZEN 44 1", 69M

A T TORNE Y "st-motion.

Patented Apr. 21, 1953 APPARATUS FOR BALLOON con'sraueriou Frank J. La Mere, Kermit F. Johnson, and Otto C. Winzen, Minneapolis-Minn assig'nors to General 'Mil-lsfInc a corporationof Delaware Original application April "2,' 1948, Serial No. 18,585. Divided and this'application June 26, 1950, Serial Nth-170,662

16 Claims. I

"This application relates to 'an' apparatus for panama-non of high a'ltitude balloons. This ap- "for Method and Apparatus-for Balloon con- "Gne object of the present invention is the provision ofan improved apparatus for manufacture of balloons, according to the method described in the above application.

A further object is to provide a balloon table "onwhich the material may be laid out and asm w t a minimum of handling.

Still another object is the provision of such a table in which an edge of the table is shaped to correspond to the shape of the gore edges in such a balloon. v

"A still further object is to provide sucha table in'whicha cutting and welding unit is mounted for movement along one edge of the table to trim the balloon material to the desired shape and j'oinadjacent gores of the material together.

additional object is the 'provision'of a balloon assembly table having at least one edge corresponding in shape to the gores'of the finished "balloon andhaving 'a central depression for acbly table according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with certain portions omittedior clearness and'with a sheet of balloon material in position on the table.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the apex end of the table of Fig. 3 taken from the section line "Fig.5 is a schematic view, partially in section, showing the welding unit which forms a part of the balloon assembly table.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the lay-out of the first two sheets of gore material as the assembly operation is started.

Fig. '4 is a similar partial view showing thepositicnof the weld line prior to taping of the gore seam. r

.Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view which illus- "trates the sta'rt of the taping operationat the apexof the balloon,

2 Fig. 9 is a'view similar to Fig. 8"with thet'aping operation 'at a more "advanced stage.

Fig. '10 isa partial perspective view elitiwing details of the completion or the ta ing operation at the bottom of the balloon.

Fig. 11 is a schematic sectional view showing the arrangement of the gores and gore-material prior to making the second gore seam-in the series.

Fig; '12 is a view similar to Fig. '11 showing the gores after a number of seams have been joined.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11 after all the gore seams except the final seam have been made.

Fig. 14*is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the method of laying out the material for the l'ln'al joint between the first and last 'gores.

Fig. 15 is a similar view which illustrates the final taping operation of the last seam. I

Fig. 16 is a plan view of amodified armor apparatus in which two assembly tables'are provided, and H Fig. '17 is a sectional view on the line 23 23 of Fig. 16.

I With reference "to Fig. '1 the balloon for-which the present method of assembly'and apparatus are designed is composed of a series'of vertically extending gores2'5' made of suitable gas=proof material. These g'o'res are joined to each other at th'eirv'ertical edges 26 to form the rnain body of the balloon. -A suitable cap 2'! is provided to seal theapex of the balloon. The lower endsof the'gores 25 are fastened to aloadring 28 from which the desired load may be suspended "by means of suitable load lines 29.

The-assembly'of such a balloon involves essentially two operations, namely the assembly of the' longitudinal gores which form the main body of the ballo'on'and the application of the cap at the apex-of said'gores. The first o'f'these 'two'steps and the apparatus forcarryingitout is described separately below.

Assembly of the Gor'es To facilitate the cutting and joining of the gel-es to each other we have provided a balloon assembly table having a flat upper surface designated generally-as 3!. This table surface 3| is mounted on any suitable support'32. One edge 33' (Fig: 4) of the table is perfectly straight and is used-to align one edge of the sheet of gore material. The opposite edge 34 oi th'ef table tape-rs: at: each end to. correspond to the desired shape of the edge-offanindividual gore e'f'the hannen. Th'us etlge 3'4""Wi-1-l serve as" a guide or pattern for the trimming of the gore material and the joining of adjacent gores.

An index line 35 is provided on the top of table 3| to indicate the line of the opposite edge of each gore. Thus the shape of a single gore is defined on the one side by table edge 34 and on the other side by index line 35. Since the gores are symmetrical, the edge 34 and line 35 will taper symmetrically toward each end of the table corresponding to the apex and bottom of the balloon gores.

The intermediate portion of table 3| between edge 34 and index line 35 is recessed or depressed as shown in Fig. 4. This recessed portion has a bottom 38 and side walls 36 and 31 which form in effect a trough extending longitudinally of the table. The depth of this trough or recess is sufficient to accommodate the assembled gores as described below.

On one side of table 3| corresponding to edge 34 tracks 40 and 4| are connected to frame 32.

These tracks are designed to support the wheels or rollers 42 and 43 respectively of a welding unit 44. An electric conducting strip 45 on the bottom of rail 46 is suitably insulated from said rail and cooperates with a contact roller 46 on the welding unit to supply current to a driving motor 41 for the unit. Track 4| and wheel 43 may serve as a ground return to complete the electrical circuit. A control switch 48 and clutch 49 enable the operator to start and stop the motor and to control the movement of the welding unit 44 along edge 34 of the table.

The welding unit is provided with welding rollers 5| and 52, at least one of which is heated in any manner known in the art. These welding rollers are coupled to the motor 41 so that they will be rotated in coordination with the movement of the welding unit along tracks 4|) and 4|. Thus, the superimposed sheets of sore material 53 will remain in stationary position on table 3| while the welding unit 44 travels the length of the table and rollers 5| and 52 heatseal the layers together. These rollers are so designed that they not only seal the superimposed gores to each other but also cut the surplus material away from the gores along the seam line. Details of a welding unit suitable for use in the present apparatus are described and claimed in our co-pending application entitled Welding Apparatus, Serial No. 18,584 filed April 2, 1948.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the gore material 53 may be laid out on the table from a suitable supply roll 54. This supply roll is rotatably carried in a U-shaped bearing 55 suspended from a traveling carriage 56. Carriage 56 is carried by overhead tracks 51 mounted on a suitable frame 53. Thus the carriage may be moved longitudinally over the gore table while the material 53 is unrolled from the supply spool 54. In positioning the material 53 on the table, one edge 59 of material 53 will be aligned with the straight edge 33 of table 3|. Thus the material at the other edge will be extended beyond table edge 34 as indicated at 66. If desired, the major portion of this extending material may be cut away by a preliminary trimming operation as indicated at 6| so that the edge of the material will correspond roughly to the shape of table edge 34. The final trimming of this edge of the gore will take place as part of the welding operation as described above.

While the apparatus described herewith in- .volves a welding unit in which a single pair of rollers both cuts and welds the superimposed is connected to a tensioning weight 82.

4 gores, it will be clear that the cutting and welding operations might be done by separate units, if desired. Also, instead of the additional tracks 40 and 4| attached to the table frame 32, it would be possible to use the shaped table edge 34 itself as the guide for the seaming machine.

Details of Assembly Method The method by which the gores are assembled and for which the table described above is designed is as follows:

The first two sheets of gore material 53 are superimposed on the table as shown in Fig. 6 with one edge 59 of each sheet in alignment with the straight edge 33 of the table. A series of weights 63 is employed to hold the straight edge of the lower sheet in position and similar weights 64 hold the upper sheet in alignment. The sheets are smoothed across the table 3| so that they extend outwardly beyond edge 34 and another series of weights 65 is utilized to hold the edges in proper relation at this side of the table.

As the welding unit travels along the table the rollers 5| and 52 will both out and weld the material 53 to form a heat welded seam 66 between the first gore 25--| and the second gore 252. A similar seam 61 will be formed between the extending portions 60 of the respective sheets and these portions of the material will be discarded or utilized for scrap.

After the welding operation, the gore 25-2 is pulled back toward the edge 33 of the table so that the welded joint 66 willbe located above a solid portion on the table top 3| as shown in Fig. '7. In this position a reinforcing tape 6'! may be applied to the seam as shown in Fig. 8. One end 68 of tape 6! is located beneath the welded seam 66 as shown and the tape then extends outwardly from the apex end of the gores through'a ring 69 and back onto the upper side of seam 66 as shown in Fig. 9. Ring 69 is carried by a strap ll carried by a further ring 12 which is fastened to the table frame at '14 (Figs. 2 and 4) by a suitable connecting cord or wire 13. Similar rings 69 and straps 1| are provided as shown in Fig. 8 for each of the gore seams to be made.

The particular tape utilized for reinforcing the seams 66 is of a pressure-sensitive type so that it may be applied to the seam readily by rolling pressure either manually or by means of a suitable machine. The tape 61 is applied longitudinally of the seam 66 as at 10 all the Way from the apex of the gores to the bottom thereof. As shown in Fig. 10, the tape extends beyond the bottom edge of the gores as indicated at '35 and is led through a holding ring 16 and turned back underneath the seam 66 as shown at H. Ring 16 is fastened to a strap '58 which in turn is fastened to a main tensioning ring 19 in the same way as the straps ii at the apex of the balloon. Ring 19 is fastened to a cord which passes over pulleys 8| (Fig. 2) and It will be apparent that the weight 82 will tend to stretch the tape 61 and thus maintain both the welded joint 66 and the overlapping'tape '75 under uniform tension throughout the assembly operation.

An anchor line 83 fastened to ring '59 and to an anchor ring 84 fastened to the table frame at 85 serves to limit the stretching action of weight 82 and thus limits the maximum elongation of the taped seams 10. Thus variations in the length of the tape along the seam due to change in atmospheric conditions during the assembly or the balloon will tend to be equalized and will not c usesserious diserehanlciesin-the; en th lithe described; above. the gores will beshiftedto; the

position shown inFigI, l1.v andran additional layer ofimaterial 5fi willibe=superimposed on gore Z5Tl-2-.. It will be noted that: in thevposition shown, the first seam 66-. I' is; aligned; with. the index: mark 35; on. table 3] rather thanwith the edge 3310f the table. In other words, seem BEE-I hasvbeen cutto its final; shapei and therefore must be aligned. with the-tapering; index:35 which correspends-to said=final shapa The additional layer 53, since it has straight edges initially, will of course be aligned with the: edge 33 of'the table. Weights E3; 54, and 65- are again employed to hold the sheet 53am. gore -2- in position during the Welding operation. In the course of this welding operation, the extending edges 6i] of -the two layers, which project beyond edge of table 3 I, Will be cut-Welded in the mannerjustdescribed to-forma sec ond seam- 6 62 between gore 252 and the-sheetwhichwill constitute the adjacent gore 25-3; This seam will be oovered'with tape'IQ-Z inthe manner described above in con.- nection withFig. 9.

It should benotedthat; in the position of the first two gores in Fig, 11 the tape Hil isgon. the inside of the fold, of seam fiB-J whenthe latter is ed' h nd x 3 ppli ationof the tape it?2 to seam 66'-21in the manner Previously described will result in,a construction'in whichthe tapes lll and l,0 -2 will be on thesame surface of the respective I gores, so that in the finished balloon all the, tapes may belocatedsymmetriucally on the outside of the envelope.

The process just described isrepeatedavithsuccessive sheets of materialfiiandliigr l2,illnstrates schematically the arrangement of the layersafter the fourth seam 664o and. its reinforcing tape lli4 have been aligned with index. -zanda further sheet of material 53: has been; laid out in preparation for the cut welding of the nextfiseam $6. 5. The diagram shows clearly the manner in which the completed-gores-are gradually fed down intothe recessed portion til-vat the center; oi-the table where thesecompletedstripscan beaecomre modated 7 without interferingwith the layingieout of theupper layers whichare tobe welded. Thus; the material can. befeddown-intothe: recessed orinterrupted portion of; the-table 31 in aseries olf' accordion-like folds without the: problems of manual handling of the partially completed series of gores each time an additionalsea-mis to be ade.

F5ig.- 13 shows schematically thearrangementrof th soresafter; 20 such gores; have been. united by; seams- ,66 I to; 6.6;,-n-I 9; inclusive; At" this stage of the process the main longitudinal senvelope=of the balloon is substantiallycomplete. exceptafor the trimming andjoinin of thestraight edge ee .l of; sore 2,5 ..I to the similar edgefifle-fzll of the last gore; Tocompletethis final seam the leading edge 597-7!" is; pulleoliup outxo-f therreeess alongrwall 3'5. as shown in- Fig; 14. Enough of the material is. pulled up: so: that iseam; tea-I I may :be

alignedalover indemmarklfih; Similarly; the =sea'm- 6 5.. l 9;; is; aligneol, over; the. indexlmarle and rthus thatwo; straight: GdEBStEQi-iv I a andufisae'l otswillzexa inaorporatea long; inflation-:tubfevfl in: the: body ofitthei balloon. This tuba-serves to carry-the-gas with; which; the: balloon iszultimately filled up; to theiapexzof. thezba-lloonzso .th at; theiballoon can; be

filled. uniformly from: the top; The: tuberis-:.sub-

'sequently'withdrawn beforelthea balloon is released;. :Such artubeaflzis-lindieatedain Figs. #14, 115,

and mayr-cionsistvof:atubulari strip; orfhose of the same material: as theyballoonl-envelope. This-tubefil isapositionediomgore 25- Iflasishown int-Fig; 3141 before. seam. 66.'-|I9 v-i'szpulled.v over into aligmnentlwith index 35. Thus; theainflationltube lei-readily incorporated intthe balloon before the final sgeamz6620 is madeand thereisno-problem of "how to: introduce: such: a, tube: longitudinally from the-bottom into" a .completeidienvelopei After seam lit -w isecompleted, the 'gorese will besh'iftledl to: theiposition of: Fig; 15 sowthat the final tape TH ZB may'be'applied, This completes theassembly: of the main :envelope of the balloon consisting of the longitudinal gores j oined at their edges by- -a heat-seal'ed or welded seam reinforced by longitudinaltapes; This portion of the balloon in completed formis i'ndicated in Fig. 1 6- which also shows the general; positionoP the inflation tube": At: the-' apex of the balloon the gores 25 have a definite width; at- 88 do-nottaper to' a point; Thus=if the upper'end' of the balloonis flattened on a suitable circular-table 90 a's shown in Fig, 17, these upper edges -88 of -the= respective gores will define a suitablecirciilaropening; This opening must be=- sealed by: a suitable cap' as" described below:

Similarly at the bottom of the balloon the Width" of the gores at 8'55 is suificient' to provide a: bottom-opening of-'the desired size. The gores at this poinvwill beiasten'ed'-to-tliedoad bearing ring 28in" any desired rnanne-r; as; me example;- by folding the lower" ends ofthe-gores around thevr-ing from the inside out and 1 then taping the folded over portions in position;

Modified; Balloon Assembly, Table A'mod'ified :construction for:the ballooniassem bly table is shown invFi'gsxlfi and-17;. Inithis caser-a :pairof tables: I :I 9: and I 1H5 respectively is employed and these tables are positionedparallel to each-otherso "that their straight edgesil -'I Z' and l 131 respectivelyare separatedi-i byj a runway; I It for: use of the operators. 'I'heiouter edges: I15 and: H6 of" the respective tapes? are: shaped; to correspond to the I final gores Joff theadesired balloon in the same manner described in'connection with the' single table-above; Each oi thesesatables has a' recessed 'or-interruptedicentraliportion'l I 09' just as :in' the pre-viousrcase:

A suitable :top fra'me ll! (Fig: 17') i is provided with tracks l .I t and'i I I 9 whicli' support the -travelingj'carriages I 2i! and l 2 I: Theseaoarriag'es h'old the -supplyfirolls l22iand I23 oi balloon material I21 and; I25 are continuousi endieictend along endsiof the taw construction;

ea'e table as well-as aroun bless; Tli us- -it is possible wi to lay out the superimposed sheets of gore ma terial on the two tables and to run the welding unit along the table I In in one direction and then back along the table Ill in the opposite direction. Thus a continuous welding process is possible in which the operators may lay out and align the material on one table While the .welding machine is formin the seam along the opposite table. This continuous process has obvious advantages in economy of operation and is made possible by the novel arrangement of means to shift the welding roller from one table to the other. As indicated, this means is exemplified by the continuous arrangement of tracks I24 and I25 around the ends of the tables.

According to the foregoing description, a new and improved method for manufacturing balloons has been provided in which a series of longitudinal gores are joined successivel at their longitudinal edges after which the leading edge of the first gore is joined to the trailing edge of the final gore to complete the main envelope or body of the balloon. This method of assembling the balloon may include the positioning of the inflation tube prior to completion of the final seam. Such a method is facilitated by the use of apparatus of the type described in which the assembly table has an edge shaped to correspond to the final gore of the balloon and has a recessed or interrupted central portion to accommodate the completed gores as the successive seams are made. The use of a cutting device and welding unit traveling along the gore shaped edge of the assembly table likewise ofiers advantages in carrying out the method of assembly by minimizing the manual handlin of large pieces of gore material.

Since various changes in the specific details of the apparatus will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, without departure from the teachings of the present specification, it is intended that' this invention shall include all such changes and modifications as fall Within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Now, therefore, We claim:

1. Balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table, a track operatively associated with the table and shaped to correspond to the edge of a gore of the final balloon, and a seaming machine movably mounted on the track for uniting superimposed layers of gore material positioned on the table while the machine travels along the track. 2. Balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table having an edge shaped to correspond to an edge of a gore of the balloon, a supporting track of corresponding shape located parallel to said edge, and a welding unit movably mounted on said track for uniting sheets of gore material superimposed on said table.

3. Balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table, a seaming device, guide means for the seaming device operatively associated with the table for guiding the device along a path corresponding to the shape of a gore edge of the balloon, anchoring means at one end of said table for holding one end of a completed seam against movement longitudinally of the table, and tensioning means at the other end of said table for attachment to the other end of the seam to hold the completed seam under longitudinal tension while a succeeding seam is completed.

4. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 3 in which the table has a recessed portion extending longitudinally between the anchoring and tensioning means for accommodation of com-. pleted gores and seams.

5. Balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table, seaming means operatively associated with the table for uniting superimposed layers of material along a line corresponding to the desired edge shape of a balloon gore, anchoring means at one end of said table for attachment to one end of a completed seam of the balloon, and tensioning means at the other end of said table for attachment to the other end of said completed seam, said tensioning means holding the completed seam against longitudinal shrinkage during formation of a subsequent seam.

6. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 5 in which the table has an interrupted portion extending longitudinally between the anchoring and tensioning means, said interrupted portion receiving the gore material adjacent the completed seam during formation of a subsequent seam.

7. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 5 in which said tensioning means includes stop mean limiting the maximum longitudinal stretching of the seam.

8. Multiple-gore balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table having an edge shaped to correspond to one longitudinal edge of a balloon gore, a seaming unit for uniting. superimposed sheets of balloon material on the table during relative movement of the unit along the table, and interengaging guide means on the seaming unit and table guiding the seeming unit along the table on a path corresponding to said shaped edge.

9. Multiple-gore balloon assembly apparatus comprising a table on which sheets of balloon material may be superimposed, a seaming unit for uniting such superimposed sheets of balloon material during relative movement of the unit along the table, and guide means for the seaming unit oiperatively associated with the table and guiding the seaming unit along the table on a path corresponding to the desired balloon gore edge shape.

10. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 9 in which said table has a longitudinally extending recessed portion into which completed gores and seams may be fed during formation of subsequent seams.

11. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 9 in which said table has means for longitudinal alignment of gore material of uniform width on the table, and means defining the shape and relative location of each longitudinally extending edge of a complete gore.

l2. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 11 in which said means for longitudinal alignment comprises a straight longitudinally ex tending edge at one side of the table and said defining means includes a shaped edge at the opposite side of the table curved at each end toward the straight table edge and thereby cor responding to the desired balloon gore edge shape, and an oppositely curved index line on the table between said straight edge and said shaped edge, said index line curved at each end toward the shaped edge and defining (with the shaped edge) a complete'balloon gore shape.

, 13. Multiple gore balloon assembly apparatus comprising an assembly table, a carrier for a supply roll of balloon material, track means extending longitudinally of the table and supporting said carrier with the carrier movable 1ongitudinally above the table for laying out superimposed sheets of the material on the table, a seaming unit for uniting such superimposed sheets during relative movement of the unit along the table, and guide means for the seaming unit operatively associated with the table and guiding the seaming unit along the table on a path corresponding to the desired balloon gore edge shape.

14. Multiple gore balloon assembly apparatus comprising a plurality of spaced assembly tables on each of which sheets of balloon material may be superimposed, a seaming unit for uniting such superimposed sheets during relative movement of the unit along each table, and a track operatively associated with said tables and extending in a continuous path along one longitudinal edge of one table and one longitudinal edge of a second table, said track, along each table edge, being curved corresponding to the desired balloon gore edge shape, and said seaming unit engaging said track and thereby moving along said path and forming longitudinal gore seams successively along first one table and then another.

15. Multiple gore balloon assembly apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced assembly tables on each of which sheets of balloon material may be superimposed, a seaming unit for uniting such superimposed sheets during relative movement of the unit along each table, and a track operatively associated with said tables and extending in a continuous path along one longitudinal edge of one table and one longitudinal edge of the second table, said track, along each table edge, being curved corresponding to the desired balloon gore edge shape, and said seaming unit engaging said track and thereby moving along said path and forming longitudinal gore seams alternately along first one table and then the other.

16. Balloon assembly apparatus according to claim 15 in which said tables are substantially opposite and parallel to each other and in which said track extends in a closed continuous path along said one edge of one table, across to the second table, along said one edge of the second table and back across to said one table, said seaming unit being movable along said closed path in the same given direction during formation of successive seams alternately on said tables.

FRANK J. LA MERE. KERMIT F. JOHNSON. OTTO C. WINZEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 748,476 Bryce Dec. 29, 1903 2,483,707 Magee Oct. 4, 1949 2,525,749 MacCafiray Oct. 10, 1950 

